They say the most important element of a man’s outfit is his shoes. But we’d debate that. Nothing leaves such a lasting impression as your scent.
And much like your wardrobe, what works in summer doesn’t necessarily cut it once the temperature drops. Autumn calls for something with a little more weight: woods, leather, spice, smoke and amber replacing the breezier citrus and aquatic notes of warmer months.
Fortunately, we have plenty of options in this department. Acqua di Parma gets experimental with cedarwood and hazelnut; Maison Francis Kurkdjian gives oud the velvet treatment; Brioni channels golden-hour warmth into leather and spice; while Murdock London takes inspiration from the traditional barber’s chair. Aromatherapy Associates, meanwhile, throws 49 essential oils at the problem.
Five different fragrances, then, but all with one thing in common: they smell considerably better than your shoes.
Aromatherapy Associates
Desert Therapy
Desert Therapy channels the warmth and stillness of the desert into an aromatherapy ritual designed to bring a sense of grounding to everyday life.
At its heart is a blend of 49 essential oils, including oud, sandalwood, frankincense and orange. Rich, warm and distinctive, the fragrance layers smoky woods and resinous depth with a hit of citrus brightness, creating a scent intended to encourage focus, reflection and restoration.
Hand-blended in London, Desert Therapy draws on more than 40 years of professional spa expertise. The idea is simple: turn an everyday routine into something altogether more restorative, while harnessing Aromatherapy Associates’ long-held belief in the power of essential oils to support everyday wellbeing.
Ground your inner calm: The Desert Therapy collection offers ways to experience the blend throughout the day. For the Bath & Shower Oil (£65 for 55ml), warm one capful in cupped hands, then apply to the torso, shoulders and lower back before stepping into a warm bath or shower. Apply the Body Oil (£62 for 100ml) to the skin after a bath or shower. Use the Pure Essential Oil Blend (£32 for 10ml) with a diffuser to fill your space with its warm, woody aroma.
To see the full collection, go to aromatherapyassociates.com
Acqua di Parma
Cedro Virtuoso EDP
Acqua di Parma’s latest Signatures of the Sun fragrance puts an intriguing new spin on cedarwood. Cedro Virtuoso Eau de Parfum pairs Virginia cedar with hazelnut, creating a scent that balances woody structure with something altogether softer and creamier.
The secret lies in a co-infusion developed exclusively for the Italian house. Cedarwood and hazelnut spend 30 days macerating together, allowing the nuttier notes to develop their smooth richness while the cedar retains its drier, more architectural character. The result is warm and textured without becoming overly heavy, with enough brightness running through the composition to keep things fresh.
It’s an unusual combination, but one that makes rather good sense on the skin – sophisticated, distinctive and pleasingly difficult to pigeonhole.
From £180, acquadiparma.com
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
Oud Velvet Mood Extrait de Parfum
Maison Francis Kurkdjian has long had a way with oud, and its latest fragrance takes the famously potent ingredient somewhere softer. Oud Velvet Mood Extrait de Parfum completes Francis Kurkdjian’s fabric-inspired trilogy, joining Oud Silk Mood and Oud Satin Mood with an interpretation inspired by the plush tactility of velvet.
Oud wood remains the star, but rather than going all-out on smoke and intensity, Kurkdjian surrounds it with juicy peach and osmanthus – a flower prized for its subtly apricot-like character – alongside a supple suede accord. The result promises a warmer, smoother take on oud, balancing its natural depth with fruit, florals and a softer leathery edge.
Inspired in part by the heat of the Arabian desert, Oud Velvet Mood feels designed to make one of perfumery’s most formidable ingredients rather easier to wear.
£225 for 35ml and £360 for 70ml, franciskurkdjian.com
Jo Malone London
Amber Labdanum Cologne Intense
Jo Malone London heads to southern Spain for its latest Cologne Intense, inspired by the sun-baked cistus fields surrounding Granada and the Alhambra. The star here is labdanum, the aromatic resin harvested from the leaves of the rockrose plant and prized since antiquity for its rich, incense-like scent.
Created by perfumer Yann Vasnier with Jo Malone London’s Céline Roux, Amber Labdanum opens with a welcome hit of bitter orange before settling into altogether warmer territory. Labdanum provides the resinous, slightly smoky backbone, while amber, vanilla and roasted oak add sweetness, depth and a woody finish.
Despite the ‘golden hour’ inspiration, this isn’t really summer-holiday territory. It’s warm, enveloping and distinctly grown-up – more candlelit bar than Andalusian beach club – thanks to its smoky, incense-like character. A strong option as the evenings draw in.
£116/50ml; £164/100ml, jomalone.co.uk
Brioni
Suave EDP
Brioni may be synonymous with Roman tailoring, but its Suave Eau de Parfum explores the more sensual side of the house.
Inspired by the warmth of golden hour, it’s an ambery, leathery and spicy fragrance built around a salty leather accord.
It opens with zesty tangerine, pink pepper and cardamom before moving into an earthy heart of vetiver and warm leather. Sandalwood and salted amber underpin the whole thing, lending the dry-down a smooth, enveloping quality that feels particularly well suited to autumn evenings.
There’s some serious perfumery pedigree behind it, too. Perfumer Jérôme Epinette worked alongside Romain Almairac and his father, master perfumer Michel Almairac, who composed Brioni’s first four signature fragrances.
The result is rich and masculine without becoming overpowering. Like Brioni’s tailoring, it makes its presence felt without needing to shout.
£125, brioni.com
Murdock London
Soho Leather
Twenty years after opening its first barbershop, Murdock London is celebrating the milestone with a fragrance inspired by the very furniture that helped build its name. Soho Leather takes its cues from the leather of the barber’s chair and razor strop (the flexible strip of leather used to straighten, realign, and polish the edge of a straight razor).
Murdock London Soho Leather opens fresh and spicy, with basil and black tea joined by black pepper and a smoky lick of birch. Leather inevitably takes centre stage in the heart, softened by old-school barbershop staples lavender and rosemary, plus warming nutmeg. Musk, patchouli and moss provide an earthy, lingering base.
The result is suitably Soho: traditional British grooming given a rakish edge. Designed to carry you from office hours to after hours, it’s a fitting way for Murdock to toast its first two decades – and considerably easier to carry around with you than a barber’s chair.
£99 for 100ml, murdocklondon.com
